Monday, June 24, 2019

A Rainy June

I'm not a weather expert, so I never know whether Ohio weather is just that variable, or if we're seeing an El Nino or La Nina, or if it's climate change making a difference. All I know is that our weather is absolutely unpredictable. You've often heard me say that someone seems to put up a dome over our town every summer, which stops the rain from getting to us. Well this year, they forgot to put up the dome. Boy did they ever! We're way above average in Ohio and much of the Midwest, to the point where some farmers weren't even able to plant.






It's been hard for me to be grateful for the difference, because of course I wished for a normal amount of rain, not a deluge. I plant drought tolerant varieties mostly because I hate dragging a hose around my garden. They might not be so happy this year. I already had a container garden that literally drown itself for lack of drainage. It's not like me to buy a container without a drain hole, but I fell victim this time.



Of course there are plants that seem to be enjoying the extra rain. You know the weeds are loving it! The only good thing about that is how easily they are pulled from the soggy ground.





I am starting to see butterflies and hummingbirds, which always make me smile. I've even gathered a few monarch eggs and caterpillars to raise indoors, although I have yet to see an actual monarch butterfly. I find that quite odd. Obviously they've been here!





The rainy weather often prevents me from enjoying my after dinner veranda time. I know, it's a patio, not a veranda. But hubby likes to think of it as a veranda, so we treat it as such. After dinner, we go out with books to read, cold drinks, and of course my camera. Many of my favorite shots have come from veranda time.








I wish that I had thought to record the contents of my rain gauge over time. Sure, I can get precipitation amounts from Weatherbug, but I never believe those numbers. You see, I want to know the rainfall at my house, not the airport. Next year, I'll start doing this.







It will be interesting to see if the rainy trend lasts throughout the summer. We've had a few wet years, but we usually have dry summers. This has topped them all. I'm sure the lawn and trees are grateful, and they're certainly greener than green. But I wonder if that green will last all summer long. I know for sure I'm appreciating the fact that I don't have to drag that darned hose around.




Let it rain, I guess, but maybe with more moderation?









8 comments:

  1. Same weather here in IL! We've had way too much rain all spring (and now into summer). And starting today, the heat and humidity have hit us. We'll be in the low 90's by the weekend. So first we're stuck indoors a lot because of the rain and now the intense heat and humidity. We just can't win! All the plants and flowers around your house look beautiful. I would love to take a tour in person and for you to tell me what everything is! ;-)

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    1. Come visit Columbus sometime and we’ll definitely do a garden tour!

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  2. Hi Robin .. I always pause and admire that picture of the sand dune at the bottom of your page ..
    That blue bottle tree and blue flowers are so striking in your garden .. and why is it we never see those butterflies but know that they had to have been there ?
    Kingston has the same strange "dome" affect .. and yes, climate change is very REAL not matter the backward nah sayers .. sad, but true.
    We had no Spring and rushed into summer .. so the plants are a bit haywire to say the least ..
    But we struggle on and dream of the next season (I have my Spring bulb orders in already and will probably be groaning a lot when it comes to planting them ? haha) ... oh well, it will all get done eventually right ?

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    1. I tend to forget about that sand dune photo, it’s actually an old one. But still a favorite.

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  3. Robin .. I have a question about a caterpillar I found on my licorice vine .. I have no idea what it is or rather will be ? can you ID it for me ? thanks !
    Joy

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  4. Thanks very much Robin ! my curiosity is now satisfied finally ;-)

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  5. Hi Robin, your garden seems to be enjoying the extra rain. Everything is beautiful. I love the last photo with the turtle. I started recording rainfall in my rain gauge as of Jan 1. So far this year we have had 45.1 inches. May has been our driest month, and July was very hot and dry until today. Tropical storm Barry is correcting that, with over an inch since this morning. We have a semi-tropical climate with yearly rain totals between 50 and 60 inches, but overall, I think this year is wetter than average.

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